Gripping device for bail stopper bottles



April 13, 1965 G-BARGEL 3,178,217

GRIPPING DEVICE FOR BAIL STOPPER BOTTLES Filed March 27, 1963 [UHPREJIUR Qiinier Bars'e/ BY NIICHAEL S. STRIKE)? his A y United States Patent 3,173,217 SHIPPING DEVICE FOR BAIL STOPPER BOTTLES Giinter Barge Dortmund-Koerne, Germany, assignor to Holstein 8; Kappert, Maschinenfabrik Phoenix G.m.b.H., Dortmund, Germany Filed Mar. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 268,241 6 Claims. (Cl. 294-86) The present invention relates to bottle handling machines, and more particularly to a machine which is utilized for transferring bottles into or for withdrawing bot tles from crates, boxes and similar receptacles. Still more particularly, the invention relates to an improved gripping or lifting device which is utilized in such machines and which is especially suited for handling of special types of bottles having permanently secured pivotable stoppers known as patent stoppers or bail stoppers.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an exceptionally simple gripping device for use in bottle handling machines which are provided with patent or bail stoppers, and it is also an object of the invention to provide such gripping devices with improved gripping or bottle engaging members, hereinafter called diaphragms, which are constructed and mounted in such a way that they may satisfactorily grip and hold the top portion or head of a bottle irrespective of the angular position of the bail.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gripping device of the just outlined characteristics whose diaphragm is capable of satisfactorily engaging and lifting a bottle even if the bottle is inclined with respect to the gripping device and even if the dimensions of bottles consecutively handled by the gripping device may vary within a wide range.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gripping device whose diaphragm is constructed and assembled with the remainder of the gripping device in such a way that it can be utilized for extended periods of time and that it may be rapidly detached from the remainder of the gripping device if such detachment should become necessary.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an elastic diaphragm of the above outlined characteristics which is especially suited for use in connection with handling of bottles having so-called patent or bail stoppers but which is equally useful for handling of all or nearly all other types of bottles.

With the above objects in view, the invention resides in the provision of a gripping device, particularly for handling of bail stopper bottles, which comprises a substantially cup-shaped housing or shell defining an internal space, and a preferably cup-shaped elastic diaphragm which is received in the internal space of the shell and which comprises a tubular section with an internal outline approximating the external outline of the top of a bail stopper so that the top of such a bottle may be introduced into the interior of the diaphragm. The shell and the diaphragm define between themselves a fluidreceiving chamber which surrounds at least a portion of the tubular section so that the tubular section may be deformed radially inwardly to grip the top of the bottle when a pressure fluid is admitted into the chamber.

In accordance with a feature of my invention, the tubu= lar section of the diaphragm preferably comprises a substantially cylindrical portion which may surround with very little play the uppermost portion of a bail stopper bottle, and an outwardly and downwardly diverging conical portion which surrounds with some play the next-lower part of the bottle and which may also accommodate certain component parts of the bail that connects the stopper 3,178,217 Patented Apr. 13, 1965 "ice with the neck of the bottle. The exterior of the tubular section is preferably provided with ribs which are parallel with the axis of the gripping device, and the Wall of the tubular section may be corrugated to form axially parallel grooves and ridges.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gripping device, the diaphragm being shown diagrammatically, which em bodies my invention and which is about to be lowered onto the top of a bail stopper bottle;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged axial section through the gripping device whose diaphragm is diagrammatically illustrated in a position it assumes just prior to its deformation into engagement with the periphery of the bottle;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section as seen in the direction of arrows from the line IIIIII of FIG. 2, showing the diaphragm in deformed condition;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the diaphragm; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the diaphragm as seen in the direction of arrow V in FIG. 4.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1, there is shown a gripping device A which is about to be applied to the open top of a bottle B. The bottle is provided with a so-called patent or bail stopper which includes a stopper or cap 1 pivotable on the central portion of a yoke 2 whose inwardly bent terminals 3 are turnable in eyes 4 formed by a suitably configurated arcuate retaining member 5 having two inwardly extending prongs 6 each of which is received in one of two peripheral recesses 7 formed in the enlarged top or head 8' of the bottle B. In order to seal the open top of the bottle, the stopper 1 is swung about the terminals 3 so that its resilient washer 9 comes into abutment with the upper end face 10 of the head 3, and the retaining member 5 is thereupon pivoted about its prongs 6 (arrow 11) so as to move from the one to the other of its end positions and to force the washer 9 into sealing engagement with the end face 10.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the gripping device A comprises an inverted cup-shaped housing or shell 15 whose tubular portion or mantle 23 defines an internal space accommodating an inverted cup-shaped diaphragm 16.

This diaphragm comprises a reinforced lower edge portion or bead 17 which is anchored in the material of the shell 15 at a point close to the open lower end 18 of the shell. The base 19 of the shell 15 comprises an upwardly extending coupling member 20 which is detachably se cured to a complementary coupling member 21 provided at the lower end of a tubular supporting element 22.

In accordance with my invention, the diaphragm 16 comprises a substantially disk-shaped bottom or base 25 and a tubular section including a substantially cylindrical upper portion 26 which is integral with and which extends downwardly from the base 25, and a conically outwardly diverging lower portion or mantle 27 which is integral with the upper portion 26 and whose lower end defines the aforementioned head 17. The base 25 may but need not be secured to the base 15' of the shell 15.

It will be noted that the tubular portion 23 of the shell 15 and the portions 26, 27 define between themselves an annular chamber 30 which communicates with channels 31 formed in the base 1% and with a channel or duct 32 provided in the supporting element 22. This supporting element is connected with a source of pressure fluid here shown as an air compressor 33, and the flow 3; of pressure fluid into and out of the chamber 39 may be controlled by regulating valve 3-; which may connect the duct 32 with the compressor 33 or with an outlet 35.

The supporting element 22 preferably consists of at least slightly elastic synthetic plastic material, and the diaphragmlfi consists of resiliently deformable rubber or of another material having the elastic characteristics of rubber. In the illustrated embodiment, the shell 15 consists of rigid or substantially rigid synthetic plastic material.

As is known, a bottle handling or transferring machine normally comprises a large number of gripping devices which are suspended from a common carrier so that the carrier may be manipulated to lower its gripping devices onto the heads of suitably stacked bottles which are ac commodated in a crate or box and which must be transferred into a bottle washing, sterilizing, drying or filling machine. On the other hand, such carrier is also utilized for transferring bottles from a conveying belt into an empty crate, box or another receptacle.

FIG. 1 shows the gripping device A at the time it is about to be lowered onto or at the time it is being moved upwardly and away from the head 8 of the bottle B. In FIG. 2, the gripping device is in operative position and is about to engage and to lift the bottle B by causing the exposed underside 24 of the base 25' to abut against the upper end face it of the head 8 and by causing the tubular section consisting of portions 26, 2'7 to move radiall inwardly and into engagement with the adjacent peripheral surface portions of the bottle. Such movement of the portions 26, 27 is indicated in PEG. 2 by arrows 36. When the head 8 is properly engaged, the diaphragm 1.6 assumes the position of FIG. 3.

It will be seen that the internal outline of the diaphragm 16 approximates the external outline of the bottle B, i.e., of that portion of the bottle which extends into the interior of the diaphragm. The cylindrical portion 26 receives the upper end portion of the head 8 with very little play,

' and the inclination of the conical portion 27 approximates the inclination of the prongs 5. Consequently, the diaphragm will properly engage the bottle in response to rather negligible deformation of the tubular section 26, 27. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the wall of the tubular section 26, 27 is corrugated so that axially parallel internal grooves 4-6 alternate with ridges 41 to insure that the bottle is properly centered in the gripping device when the diaphragm is deformed into engagement with the head 8. Furthermore, the thickness of the ridges 41 exceeds the thickness of the wall portions 42 which bound the grooves 40 to insure that the bottle may be gripped with requisite strength when the chamber 36 receives pressure fluid. It was found that, by proper selection of the material and of the thickness of the tubular section 26, 27, the diaphragm will properly grip the bottle if the pressure in the chamber 3% is between 0.50.7 atmospheres absolute pressure. Owing to the fact that the wall of the tubular sec tion 26, 27 is corrugated, the exterior of this section is provided with pronounced ribs 43 and valleys 4 as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. Such configuration of the diaphragm insures that the tubular section engages the bottle at a plurality of equidistant points (i.e., along the inner sides of the ridges 41) rather than merely at two diametrically opposed points of the bottle. In other words, the deformation of the tubular section is more uniform which contributes to longer useful life of the gripping device.

A defective diaphragm may be removed together with the shell 15 merely by unscrewing the coupling member 21 from the member 2% Extensive experiments with a gripping device whose diaphragm comprises a composite tubular section including a cylindrical and a conical portion have shown that the useful life of such diaphragms exceeds several times the life span of a diaphragm whose tubular section is of conical or cylindrical shape.

Of course, the gripping device of my invention is equally useful for handling of conventional bottles which are provided with readily separable stoppers, and this gripping device may be used with equal facility for handling of bail stopper bottles in which the stoppers are in sealing position.

Heretofore, bail stopper bottles were normally handled by gripping devices whose diaphragms comprise tubular sections of cylindrical or conical shape. Consequently, the diaphragms had to be deformed to a considerable extent because the internal diameter of a cylindrical tubular section had to be large enough to accommodate the bottle head and the bail of the stopper. Furthermore, such substantial deformation of a cylindrical or conical tubular section had to be caused by compressed fluid whose pressure was comparatively high so that the stresses to which the diaphragm was subjected were much higher than in the gripping device of the present invention. Of course, a diaphragm which must be subjected to large deformation and which is subjected to the action of highly compressed fluid media cannot last very long so that such conventional gripping devices had to be replaced at frequent intervals with attendant losses in material and with repeated idling of the machine. Moreover, a tubular section of cylindrical or conical shape is not likely to center the top of a bottle with the same degree of precision as a diaphragm whose tubular section is formed in accordance with my invention, i.e., wherein the internal outline of the tubular section approximates rather closely the external outline of the bottle top. An improperly centered bottle is likely to overturn when it is released by the gripping device which is highly undesirable, particularly when the bottles are deposited onto a moving conveyor to be transferred to another processing station.

The gripping device of my invention may be used in bottle handling machines which are utilized in breweries, dairies, soda bottling factories, wineries, chemical factories, and in many other bottle processing plants.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A gripping device for handling of bail stopper bottles the tops of which are provided with outwardly extending prongs, comprising an inverted cup-shaped housing defining an internal space and having an open lower end; and an inverted cup-shaped diaphragm of elastically deformable material, said diaphragm being received in said space and having a tubular section whose internal outline approximates the external outline of the top of a bail stopper bottle, said tubular section having recesses arranged to receive outwardly extending prongs so that the top of such a bottle may be introduced into the diaphragm said tubular section having a substantially cylindrical upper portion and a downwardly and outwardly diverging conical portion having at its lower end an edge portion which is anchored in the lower end of said housing, said housing and said tubular section defining between themselves a single fluid-receiving chamber which completely surrounds at least said conical portion of said tubular section so that the diaphragm may be deformed radially inwardly to grip the top of a bottle together with its prongs when a pressure fluid is admitted into said chamber, said conical portion being arranged in such a manner that only said edge portion remains in contact with said housing when a pressure fluid is admitted into said chamber.

2. A gripping device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tubular section comprises a corrugated wall having alternating grooves and ridges which are substantially parallel with the axis or" the housing.

3. A gripping device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tubular portion has external ribs substantially parallel with the axis of the housing, and wherein said tubular section has a corrugated shape having alternate grooves and ridges substantially parallel with the axis of said housing.

4. As a novel article of manufacture, a substantially cup-shaped diaphragm for use in gripping devices for bail stopper bottles the tops of which are provided with diametrically opposite, outwardly extending prongs, said diaphragm comprising a bottom and an elastically deformable tubular section whose internal outline approximates the external outline of the top of a bail stopper bottle, said tubular section comprising in undeformed condition a substantially cylindrical portion which is integral with said bottom and a hollow conical portion 6 which diverges outwardly in a direction away from said cylindrical portion, said conical portion having diametrically opposite recesses arranged to receive the outwardly extending prongs of a bottle.

5. A diaphragm as set forth in claim 4, wherein said tubular section comprises a corrugated wall whose alternating grooves and ridges are substantially parallel with the axis of said section.

6. A diaphragm as set forth in claim 5, wherein the thickness of said ridges exceeds the thickness of such por tions or said tubular sections which extend between said ridges.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,873,996 2/59 McHugh 204-90 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

ERNEST A. FALLER, 111., Examiner. 

1. A GRIPPING DEVICE FOR HANDING OF BAIL STOPPER BOTTLES THE TOPS OF WHICH ARE PROVIDED WITH OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PRONGS, COMPRISING AN INVERTED CUP-SHAPED HOUSING DEFINING AN INTERNAL SPACE AND HAVING AN OPEN LOWER END; AND AN INVERTED CUP-SHAPED DIAPHRAGM OF ELECTRICALLY DEFORMABLE MATERIAL, SAID DIAPHRAGM BEING RECEIVED IN SAID SPACE AND HAVING A TUBULAR SECTION WHOSE INTERNAL OUTLINE APPROXIMATES THE EXTERNAL OUTLINE OF THE TOP OF A BAIL STOPPER BOTTLE, SAID TUBULAR SECTION HAVING RECESSES ARRANGED TO RECEIVE OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PRONGS SO THAT THE TOP OF SUCH A BOTTLE MAY BE INTRODUCED INTO THE DIAPHRAGM SAID TUBULAR SECTION HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL UPPER PORTION AND A DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY DIVERGING CONICAL PORTION HAVING AT ITS LOWER END AN EDGE PORTION WHICH IS ANCHORED IN THE LOWER END OF SAID HOUSING, SAID HOUSING AND SAID TUBULAR SECTION DEFINING BETWEEN THEMSELVES A SINGLE FLUID-RECEIVING CHAMBER WHICH COMPLETELY SURROUNDS AT LEAST SAID CONICAL PORTION OF SAID TUBULAR SECTION SO THAT THE DIAPHRAGM MAY BE DEFORMED RADIALLY INWARDLY TO GRIP THE TOP OF A BOTTLE TOGETHER WITH ITS PRONGS WHEN A PRESSURE FLUID IS ADMITTED INTO SAID CHAMBER, SAID CONICAL PORTION BEING ARRANGED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT ONLY SAID EDGE PORTION ARRANGED IN SUCH A WITH SAID HOUSING WHEN A PRESSURE FLUID IS ADMITTED INTO SAID CHAMBER. 